NBA payoff time arrives for Harden

Throughout all the workouts and measurements, one thing never hit home with James Harden: The reality. He's about to become a professional, his lifelong dream.

"One of these days, I'm hoping I can just walk around and have a smile on my face," the Arizona State standout said before leaving for New York, site of Thursday's NBA draft.

For the past three months, the All-American guard has been lost in preparation. He teamed in Los Angeles with Tim Glover, known for training Michael Jordan.

When Harden wasn't working, he was absorbing. He attended five or six Lakers games during their championship run. He paid close attention to Kobe Bryant, with whom he shares an agent. He watched how Bryant created his shot. How he forced his will and led his team.

Harden, 19, is ready to adopt similar skills. Or at least plant the seed.

At 6-foot-5, he is considered the draft's best scoring guard, someone expected to hear his name called within the first five picks. Those who know Harden best have compared him to Portland's Brandon Roy or San Antonio's Manu Ginobili. But for all of Harden's talent, concerns still exist.

"I think a lot of people have wondered about his killer mentality," an NBA scout said this week. "Does he have that ability to take over and dominate? It's not that his effort was ever poor, he just didn't seem to do it much in college."

Harden, a key component to ASU's reversal, also seemed to wear down, which made conditioning an issue. In the second game of last season's Pac-10 weekend - usually a Thursday-Saturday combo - he shot 43.3 percent from the field and 22.9 percent from 3-point range. His scoring average dipped from 20.1 points in the Thursday game to 17.4.

For that reason, former NBA coach Doug Collins used to ask Harden if he were ready for an NBA schedule, the stretches of four games in five nights that would involve chasing the likes of Rip Hamilton, Michael Redd and Dwyane Wade.

"Because that's what the position is," said Collins, a close observer of Herb Sendek's ASU program. "And James can do it. He has all the talent to do it."

Harden said he has trimmed 12 pounds since last season's NCAA Tournament. He will enter the draft at 216, a weight he hasn't held since high school. He said he feels lighter and more explosive, which should complement his overall game. Collins praised Harden's ability to get teammates involved. Former college coach and ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla saw the same at last year's Paul Pierce Skills Academy. He also liked Harden's attitude.

"With Harden, these teams in the early lottery know they're getting a low-maintenance guy," Fraschilla said. "He does everything exceptionally well. He's a very good passer for a guy who can score. He's also not afraid to challenge himself. He's not afraid to put a program on his back."

Draft analysts might use the term "throwback" tonight. Harden's game is mature, one scout said. He'll have to work on shooting quicker and making his right-hand stronger, "but most people agree that he'll be a player at our level. Probably a starter down the road."

"Once you examine him, you get more comfortable with him," an NBA executive said. "He doesn't have to be the man, which means he can come in on a team of veterans and fit right in."

Harden said he felt good about his workouts, as well as the teams conducting them.

"They're all great situations for me," he said. "Overall, I feel great about this process."